How many of us feel we are stuck in a life that doesn’t fit? One where we believe we can’t fix anything, so we console ourselves by buying things we know we don’t need?
Consumerism and Materialism
Gifts That Aren’t Things
All the research shows that owning more things doesn’t make any of us truly happier. Meanwhile, a holiday season full of pointless presents that no one really wants destroys our habitat. But there are gifts that can actually increase happiness. That’s why, before Black Friday gets here, I wanted to share with you the amazing […]
How to Make Your Loved Ones Happier Over The Holidays
You know how it is so hard to figure out how to get a good gift for some people? You’re like, “They have everything they want and need, so what can I get them?” If you’re anything like me, this makes you feel really stressed. Like you are somehow at fault for having such a […]
A Simple Mindfulness Exercise That Will Help You Waste Less Life
When we don’t pay attention, we waste money, we waste resources, we waste time, and we waste our lives. When we aren’t mindful of this moment, we waste. Therefore, paying attention and trying not to waste is a simple mindfulness exercise we can do all day. The simple act of being mindful and trying not to waste can both help us have better lives for ourselves and and help the world.
Why We Really Want Money, Looks And Fame
Sometimes we run so fast on the work-to-spend treadmill that we never stop to ask what we want the money, stuff, and fame for. By listing what we hope to get from them, we may discover a path towards getting our needs met more directly.
On Helping The World Without Wrecking Your Life
So many of us are looking for ways to help this suffering world–happily and safely. For most, the challenge seems to be how to help in ways they feel meaningful. On the other hand, there are also many, many activists, social workers, and others who have found ways to help, but are missing out on the happily and safely part. So, how do we help the world while still having a good life for ourselves?
How to Not Buy Things by Mistake
In my new book How to Be Alive: A Guide to the Kind of Happiness that Helps the World, I talk about the many relationships we have with the world and how those relationships affect both our own well-being and that of our communities and planet. One of those relationships is the one we have with stuff. […]
Over the Holidays, Eat Like You Care About Yourself and The World
Eating, especially at the holidays, can be fraught with confusion. How do I eat in a way that is good for me and the world I live in? According to a 2012 study by the International Food Information Council, 52 percent of Americans believed doing their taxes was easier than figuring out how to eat healthily. […]